Arousal

Arousal = Degree of physiological and psychological readiness to perform - intensity of motivation/ drive to achieve

  • Physiological/ somatic - sweating/ increased HR

  • Psychological/ cognitive - stress/ negative thinking

  • Introverts - stimulated RAS and high internal arousal

  • Extroverts - not stimulated RAS and low internal arousal

Theories of Arousal

Drive Theory:

  • as arousal increases, performance increases

  • if arousal decreases, performance will decrease

  • linear relationship

  • low arousal = low performance and high arousal = high performance

  • high arousal brings out more dominant responses - stored as motor programmes

  • as a rugby players arousal increases, the better they will play

  • better for autonomous learners - developed motor programmes

  • bad for cognitive learners - have no motor programmes

  • too simplistic

  • linear relationship is rare

  • doesn't account for personality/ nature of the task/ skill classification

    Inverted U Theory:

  • arousal increases and performance increases to an optimum point - optimal arousal

  • if arousal continues to increase, performance will decline

  • accounts for personality type - introverts need less arousal than extroverts to reach optimal arousal

  • accounts for skill classification - gross skills need more arousal than fine skills

  • accounts for cognitive and associate learners - cognitive learners need less arousal than autonomous learners

Catastrophe Theory:

  • low arousal = low performance

  • arousal increases as performance increases to the optimum point

  • if arousal continues to increase, performance will decline

  • if arousal can be controlled, performance will increase again

  • explains why personality will suddenly decline

  • explains how performance can increase after a decline

  • doesn't account for personality types

  • more realistic than the drive theory

Peak Flow Experience:

  • phrase used by athletes who reach the optimum - relate this to an emotional response

  • referred to as being in the zone

  • focused on performing and there are no distractions

  • movements are automatic

  • perform with little conscious thoughts

  • rely on a motor programme

  • rely on selective attention